Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
“Oh my gods,” I croaked—shaking from head to toe. “I can’t believe that just happened.” Slowly, I tipped my chin up. “I can’t believe you protected me.”
“Well... I... Of course, I—” He took a step back and stumbled. “I wasn’t going to just—just let it— Shit.” Rhodes’s eyes rolled up his head.
He collapsed on the ground.
“Rhodes!”
“CAN’T BELIEVE I PASSED out,” grumbled into my ear.
I stifled a laugh, holding tight to Rhodes’s arm. He leaned heavily on me, letting me help his still unsteady self back to the house.
“You’re entitled to pass out when you gallantly defend a lady from a charging bear.”
“You’re making fun of me,” he deadpanned, making a giggle slip out.
“I’m not, I swear.” I pulled him a little closer. “With as much as you hate me, the first thing you did in that situation was risk your life for mine. That was the most amazing and selfless thing I’ve ever seen anyone do in my life.”
If his melanin didn’t prevent it, I swear I’d be looking at the biggest, pinkish honking blush two sculpted cheeks ever conjured.
“It... uh...” Rhodes roughly cleared his throat. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It most certainly was a big deal. So much so that I’m going to return the favor. As a token of my appreciation, when I tell the world of this story, I’m leaving out the part where you shat your pants.”
Rhodes burst out laughing, almost bringing me down when he doubled over. “That’s your pants you’re smelling, sweetheart, not mine. And at least I didn’t try to stop that bear by hitting on him.”
“Hey, that was a perfectly valid tactic!” The manor came into view, peeking through the trees. “The sites say to be calm and talk to the bear, let it know you’re human. But,” I stressed, “humans suck. We cut down their forests, hunt their food, then kill and stuff them.
“I had to let him know that, yes, we’re humans, but we’re the bear-loving kind. We’re his friends. And I know it got through,” I said, sticking my nose in the air. “That’s why he didn’t eat us. Because flattery really does get you everywhere.”
“Yeah, so does bullshitting.”
“I’m telling you, all the shit you’re sniffing on is directly below your nose.”
We couldn’t hold it in—guffawing and stumbling our way to the back porch.
“So, how do you want to do this?” I asked, climbing step to step with him. “Should I keep going with the payback, and let you hide out in the stables while I run up and get you a change of pants?”
“Wow. That’s funny because I was about to cash in more gallant points by letting you hide out in the stables while I grab you a change of clothes.”
“Well, that’s going to make it really hard for me to keep pretending I didn’t crap myself too,” I muttered.
Rhodes’s eyes shone—dancing with mirth and sending my throat-heart flipping.
“Why don’t we go back-to-back?” I squeaked out. “Keep the crab-walk going until we both get out of this looking good?”
“I do desperately need to see that walk again, but this time with a camera in my—”
“Isn’t this cute?”
We sprung apart like colliding ball bearings—my throat-heart almost ejecting out of my butt. I clamped my hand over my pounding chest, the jump-scare fading as Alex emerged out of the shadows of the screen door.
“Looks like you two had a great run, and an even better time. Sorry I missed it.” The expression on his face did not match his words. “Even sorry to interrupt your giggling now.”
Rhodes straightened, sobering quickly. “It’s not like that, Alex. Just some leftover nervous energy after narrowly escaping a bear attack.”
Alex’s face crumpled. “What the fuck you just say? A bear?”
“Never mind all that. We’re fine and I’ve got to get ready for work.”
It physically pained me seeing all the lightness, humor, and kindness leak out of Rhodes’s face.
I shrunk back against the handrail, cringing as the claustrophobic fog of Sue-created resentment rolled over us. Even after she was gone, I was still suffering the effects of her biting cruelty.
“We’re supposed to call the Lantana Wildlife Agency when these things happen,” I spoke up. “They’ll make sure the bear is really gone, and then check the property to see if something attracted him.
“I’ll make the call,” I offered. “And I’ll keep Nari inside until they give us the all clear.”
Rhodes inclined his head. “Thanks—”
“You’re not keeping Nari anywhere,” Alex sliced in. “If there’s really a bear wandering around our backyard, I’m getting us a hotel and keeping her far away from this place until they give the all clear. Fuck’s sake, Sue, use your head and stop putting your laziness ahead of our daughter’s safety.”
I bristled, opening my mouth to snap back—
“Cut it out, Alex,” Rhodes barked. “It’s a bear, not a wrecking ball. Nari will be perfectly safe inside. The woman just faced down a three-hundred-pound killing machine. Maybe give her a break.”